218 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xhi. 



northern Prance during August 1918. On August 17th, one 

 nest contained four slightly incubated eggs, and on August 

 28th the other also contained four eggs, which were quite 

 fresh. It appears possible that August records of this species 

 are often third broods. Stanley B. Hodgson. 



I HAVE found Linnets nesting during August almost every 

 year on the Salisbury downs. This year (1919) I found there 

 a nest with three eggs on August 14th and the next day a nest 

 with four eggs. A. Steven Corbet. 



RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER IN NORFOLK. 



On October 8th, 1919, after a gale from E.N.E. the night 

 before, a Red-breasted Flycatcher {Miiscicapa p. parva) was 

 shot on Cley beach and proved on examination to be a male 

 in first winter plumage. This is, I believe, its first occurrence 

 in Norfolk since 1908 — in which year four were obtained — 

 and, according to Mr. J. H. Gurney's notes, makes the four- 

 teenth record for the county. Thirteen of these have occurred 

 at Blakeney and Cley, ten in September and three (including 

 the bird now recorded) in October, whilst one was obtained 

 on December loth, 1896, at Rollesby. B. B. Riviere. 



CONTINENTAL HEDGE-SPARROW IN NORFOLK. 



On October 17th, 1919, at Blakeney Point, a big migration 

 of the usual late-autumn immigrants (Lapwings, Starlings, 

 Sky-Larks, etc.) took place from east to west along the coast- 

 line, amongst them being a few H edge-Sparrows. At the 

 end of the morning there were several of these birds in the 

 " bushes," and I shot two. One of these proved to be a 

 typical example of the Continental form {Prunella modularis 

 modularis), the other being of the British race {P. m. 

 occidentalis). 



I believe the Continental Hedge-Sparrow has only twice 

 previously been identified in England, viz., at Spurn, Yorks., 

 on September 7th, 1882, and October 9th, 1911, though it 

 has been taken a good many times on migration in Scottish 

 islands. B. B. Riviere. 



NUMBERS IN SWALLOW AND MARTIN BROODS 

 IN 1919 IN WARWICKSHIRE. 



In the course of my " ringing " expeditions in 1919 I ex- 

 amined a good many nests of Swallows [Hinindo r. nistica) 

 and House-Martins {Delichon u. urbica) in Warwickshire. 

 On the whole the average of broods was very low, and plailnl}' 

 worse than last year. In all, I visited nearly a hundred 



